blood and magic 02 - kissed by fire

by Danielle Annett

  “So you guys do charity work?”

  He shrugged. “I guess you could look at it that way. Really, we’re just looking ahead and planning for our futures, for the next generation.” He shot Inarus a knowing look. There was something he wasn’t saying but if the clench of Inarus’ jaw was anything to go by, he knew exactly what Aiden was leaving out.

  “So when are you heading out?” Aiden asked Inarus. “This is the big one before your acceptance.”

  Inarus shot him a withering glare, halting whatever else he might have been about to add.

  “Acceptance into what?”

  “Nothing, come on. Aiden has to get back to work.”

  “Yep, sure do.” He chuckled before heading the opposite direction. I eyed him suspiciously as he walked away.

  “Acceptance into what?” I asked Inarus again. Whatever it was, he really didn’t want to talk about.

  “It isn’t important. Come on, there’s more for you to see.”

  The following morning, I was called down to have breakfast with my mother. It was as expected. Ridiculously awkward. A part of me wished Inarus had joined us, but he’d thought it best f I did this on my own. I wasn’t so sure that I agreed with him.

  We both sat in silence, neither one of us really making eye contact as we ate. A million questions ran through my head yet, I couldn’t get my mouth to work to voice even one of them. She stirred sugar into her coffee, her eyes briefly landing on mine. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, and when words failed me, I shoved toast into my mouth and took a bite to hide my embarrassment.

  She smiled at me like she used to when I was a child, and my heart ached for her approval once again. Chewing my toast, I looked out the balcony window, forcing myself to swallow. The sun was shining outside, making the snow-littered ground glisten. I turned back to my mother, her attention now on a data pad in front of her.

  Think, Aria, think. Just say something, anything. I didn’t know where to start, though. Her eyes met mine once again, and without thinking, I just blurted out the first question on my mind.

  “How are you alive and my father is dead?”

  Her eyes widened and her mouth opened to create a small O. Probably not my best opening line, but there was no going back now. She cleared her throat and set her data pad aside, her hands coming to rest in her lap. I could tell she was thinking of what to say, how to answer my question in the best manner, and it irritated the hell out of me. I didn’t want her to think about it. I wanted the truth, not some sugarcoated version.

  “I’d been hoping we might reconnect a bit more before delving into such unsavory matters,” she said when she finally answered, the unspoken question hanging in the air between us.

  Unsavory matters. Was she joking? My father’s death was more than just an unsavory matter. Sorry, Mom, I wasn’t willing to wait.

  “I’m sorry, but I need to know. I’ve been wondering ever since I realized you were alive. Is there a chance that he is, too?” I knew what her answer was even before she said anything, but my stomach still dropped when she confirmed what I already knew. I’d watched his life fade with my very eyes. I didn’t know why I was so disappointed, but for whatever reason, I’d maintained a shred of hope that he was still alive. And now that hope had been destroyed.

  “No, dear. He’s gone.”

  I nodded. I turned away for a moment as I gathered my emotions, pulling them in and stuffing them down as far as they could go. I’d already grieved his loss. I didn’t need to do it again. “Why were we attacked? Why our family?”

  Her smile was sad for a moment before she answered, surprising me with her honesty.

  “Your father knew you were different, that you were a psyker, though at the time we didn’t have a name for what you could do. He just called it a power over fire and said a relative of his had power over air. He didn’t know how to handle your growing abilities, neither of us did, and so he sought outside help.” She paused. “He trusted the wrong people with information about what you could do, what you were capable of, and they came for you. At first, they just stopped by like any other visitor. They knocked and told him they could help. That they could train you and help you learn how to control your abilities. He didn’t want to let you go, though. I tried to convince him otherwise—to explain that we couldn’t control your growing abilities, that it was the best course of action—but he wouldn’t listen.” She was shaking her head now, as though she were reliving an age-old argument. Like the idea of sending me away with some strangers had been no big deal.

  “When they came back, they came in force and eliminated the obstacle in front of them.” The way she said it was so clinical. There was no inflection in her voice, no remorse over the events, as if she agreed with what had happened, that he’d had to die.

  “You wanted to send me away?” The child inside of me was hurt, even after all these years, to know that she’d been willing to send me away.

  “Sweetheart, you must understand, it was for the best. I didn’t know what your abilities entailed, the damage you could cause not only to yourself but to others.” Some mother I’d had. I’d always believed that she loved me, would do anything to keep me safe. Really, she was only concerned with her own well-being. I didn’t have any children. I wasn’t sure if I ever would, but I did know that if I had a daughter, no matter what the unknown, I’d never send her away. That wasn’t what parents did.

  “Were you a part of it?” I tried to keep the accusation out of my voice, but I saw her hazel eyes narrow before she responded.

  “I didn’t plot your father’s death, if that's what you’re asking.”

  It was, but her answer wasn’t all that convincing. I waited for more, for her to deny any part in it, but she didn’t. Instead, she looked away and resumed her breakfast without a care. She hadn’t planned his death; that didn’t mean she hadn’t know he’d be killed. What the hell had she known, then?

  “Did you know that they’d come for me?” She nodded.

  “When your father rejected their help, I reached out to them on my own. He wasn’t supposed to be there. He came home early. There wasn’t anything I could do.

  My blood began to boil and my vision narrowed.

  “Who were they?”

  She didn’t answer. A bead of sweat slipped down my temple as I fought to control my rage.

  “Aria, I’d suggest you restrain yourself.” The words barely registered, not that it would have mattered.

  “Who were they?” I asked again, my voice sounding hoarse even to my own ears.

  “The HAC. Are you happy now?”

  “You work for the people that killed your husband. Hell, you run the whole damn operation now. How could you?”

  “Don’t be so dramatic. I didn’t do anything. Besides, it’s in the past. Things have changed since then.”

  Flames erupted along my arms. My rage was now beyond containment, my fire making her very aware of exactly how I felt about all of this. It was not in the past for me, not by a long shot.

  “Aiden, come in here, please.”

  I turned towards the door as the Tk I’d met earlier walked in, his gait casual.

  “Ma’am.” He nodded his head in my mother’s direction, ignoring my presence completely, as though we hadn’t already met.

  “Please help my daughter to…control herself.”

  I shot her a withering glare, and for a split second, I saw fear flash across her face before she replaced the look with a blank expression. She was still afraid, still unsure as to what I could do. Then I felt pressure, a pushing sensation along my senses. My eyes shot back to Aiden. Oh, buddy, you have no idea who you’re dealing with. His eyes were trained on my body in concentration. Sweat began beading along his forehead, and in that moment I hated him. He was trying to force my flames back inside of me. To hell with that. I let go of the thin leash I had on my abilities and watched as the flames on my arms grew and spread to the rest of my body. I usually tried to keep my flames ca
ged to my hands and arms—a girl could only ruin so many outfits—but for this instance, I was willing to make an exception.

  “Aiden…” my mother said, her voice tinged with a note of concern.

  “She’s strong,” was his reply, “but I’ve got this.”

  Wanna bet? I pushed the flames harder as I pushed up from my chair, a layer of fire covering my entire body from the shoulders down. My mother rose as well. Sweat dripped from Aiden’s temples, his eyes brightening as he pushed his own abilities further.

  “Aria—”

  “Don’t Aria me, how dare you!” I snapped. The strain from the pressure was giving me one hell of a headache.

  “Sweetheart, you need to calm down before you do something you’ll regret.”

  I scoffed. “Something I’ll regret? You really thought you could bring in some lackey to keep me under control after you practically tell me that you’re responsible for my father’s death. He’d still be alive if it weren’t for you?”

  “I know you still don’t have full control over your abilities. I was only trying to help.”

  I didn’t want her fucking help. The pressure grew harder, and for the first time, my body felt like it was going to overheat.

  “Make him stop,” I said through clenched teeth.

  She eyed me apprehensively.

  “Now!” I all but yelled.

  “Aiden.”

  He looked unsure. Hell, I was unsure. I had pushed myself so hard that if he did let go, I was pretty sure I’d light the whole damn room ablaze. But if he didn’t, if he kept pushing, I didn’t know what would happen, but I was almost certain it wouldn’t be good for me. The pressure was getting tighter and tighter, the heat climbing even higher. I could practically see waves of heat rolling before me. Things were going to get bad. Very, very bad.

  “What the hell is going on?” Inarus stormed into the room.

  I looked at him from the corner of my eye, unable to look away from Aiden. I couldn’t lose focus. I couldn’t let him shove my flames in. I felt like my body was going to explode from the pressure. What would happen to me if Aiden managed to succeed?

  “Make him stop.” My voice was hoarse, my throat beyond dry. I felt like any ounce of moisture in my body was quickly evaporating. My eyes grew dry and scratchy, the urge to rub them growing strong.

  “I can’t. If I do, she’ll combust and take us all out.”

  “Let go, I’ve got this.”

  “Inarus,” my mother said, a question evident in her tone.

  “I said, I’ve got this.”

  She nodded in Aiden’s direction, and within the next breath, the pressure was gone and I was ablaze. Things happened so fast; I saw a flash of blue, my fire burning so hot, before the pressure was there again, holding it all in. But it wasn’t pushing, just containing. The floor around me was black, a circle that stretched two feet out in every direction, completely charred. The table next to me was missing a large chunk, and bits of ash drifted to the floor.

  “Take a breath,” Inarus said.

  I did as he said, taking a lungful of air in through my nose and releasing the breath through my mouth. I looked up as I took another breath, noticing that despite the high ceilings, there was still a scorch mark above.

  “You two should go,” he said to my mother and Aiden. Neither needed to be told twice. Aiden stormed out, my mother leaving at a much less hurried pace. I glared daggers at her retreating form. Willing her to trip and fall, breaking her neck in the process. I felt guilty at the thought. She was still my mother but it was her fault and I felt no shame in blaming her.

  When both were gone, Inarus came closer. Standing only a few feet in front of me, he reached out and took my hand. Instinctively, I pulled back, afraid to burn him, but he reached out once more, turning my hand slowly in his to show me that no harm was done.

  My hand was in his grasp. I felt his fingers as he threaded them with mine, but there was a faint barrier between us. I realized it was like a force field of sorts, a thin layer protecting him from the flames.

  “Telekinetic, remember?”

  My eyes moved from our hands back to his eyes, the blue color brighter than ever from the exertion. “I didn’t realize you could do that,” I said.

  “Comes with being a Tk.”

  “I can’t pull it back,” I admitted. I hated that I had such little control, but they’d pushed me too far and my fire was taking over. The flames on my arms were at least four inches in height, and the line along my skin contained a hint of blue, an indication that I was burning hotter than normal.

  His eyes held only understanding. “You can. You just need to focus.”

  “I can’t!” I knew what I could and couldn’t do, and this was something I just could not do. I didn’t have the strength. I hadn’t meditated enough, practiced enough, to pull it all in when things had raged this far out of my control. I’d tried pushing my abilities these past few weeks to recreate the flames I’d conjured after Mike’s death, but those times hadn’t even come close to this.

  He reached out with both hands and grasped my shoulders, forcing me to concentrate on him.

  “Aria, you are strong enough to do this. You just need to focus. I know you can do this.”

  I didn’t know where his confidence was coming from.

  He released a sigh, and I could see him waning. “Just try, please.” There was that “please” again.

  I closed my eyes and took a breath. I could do this. I had to do this. If I didn’t, well, I might very well burn the whole place down. I’d only seen blue fire once before, when I’d incinerated the vampires who’d killed Mike. My pyrokinesis had taken them out, along with half our office building, and I’d been focusing my abilities. Now, there was no direction to my fire, no point of focus. I had pushed too hard fighting Aiden’s telekinetic restraints. If Inarus were to let go, my flames would cascade in a tidal wave of fire in every direction. I had to call it back. There was no other option.

  Seconds ticked by, turning into minutes, and still Inarus stayed with me. When twenty minutes passed I began to feel deflated. Nothing seemed to work. I tried breathing techniques. I tried envisioning the flames receding within my body. I even tried repeating a mantra in my head over and over, anything and everything I could think of. Nothing was working. Then it finally came to me. Water.

  “In the green space, does the stream originate in a pond, anything bigger, deeper?” If there was a larger body of water close by, something I could submerge myself in, I could push out my fire without worrying about burning anything and just wait until I burned out. All he had to do was keep the pressure on until we got there.

  He shook his head, and what little hope I had was extinguished. Dammit. Now what was I going to do?

  Inarus pulled me down to the floor and we sat cross-legged facing one another, my hands resting in his. He didn’t say anything. He simply remained a calming presence, there for support. After nearly an hour, I finally saw a change. The blue slowly diminished, leaving behind just the red-orange flames I’d grown accustomed to.

  “See, you can do this.”

  I almost felt like crying, I was so happy. I didn't even care that my clothing had been burned away. The only thing protecting my modesty were the orange flames still coating my body. I lifted my eyes to meet his, a smile spreading across his face. He gave me a nod of encouragement, and with a returning smile, I closed my eyes and concentrated.

  Ten more minutes passed, and when I opened my eyes again, the flames were gone.

  “I did it.”

  “You did.”

  Inarus rose, reaching down a hand to help me to my feet. I swayed as I stood, exhaustion hitting me like a train. He quickly pulled his shirt over his head and helped me into it.

  “Whoa, you okay?”

  I wiped the sweat from my forehead, my other hand firmly gripped in his to prevent me from falling. “Yeah, I’m okay. Just tired.”

  “I’ll help you back to your room.” I didn�
��t want to go back to my room. I wanted to get out of here. As far away from my mother. But I didn’t tell him that. Instead I nodded and allowed him to lead me out, each step taking a concentrated effort. I felt as though if I were distracted for even a second, I’d find myself face first on the tile floor. As we walked, though, the tile was beginning to look more and more comfortable.

  My cell phone woke me. I didn’t even remember turning it back on. I eyed the display, unsure of what to do. Declan was calling. I really wasn’t ready for this. I knew I was being a coward, but what was the alternative? I watched the lit up screen for several seconds until finally the vibration ceased. Less than thirty seconds later, it started up again. This time, the caller was James. I sighed. Time to face the music.

  “James, I can’t. Not right now,” I said. Seconds ticked by in silence. Was he still there? I looked at the display. The call hadn’t ended.

  “Hello?” I heard voices on the other end but couldn’t make out their words. Had he butt-dialed me?

  Finally, he seemed to realize I was still on the line. “I’m not going to get into it with you right now, but can you at least tell me if you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine. Why?”

  “Declan felt some things,” he said carefully. Okay, what was that supposed to mean?

  “What exactly did he feel?”

  James spoke to someone else, his voice barely above a whisper. I strained to hear what he was saying but had no such luck. “He says it was almost like being suffocated, but not from lack of air. It was more like a painful pressure.”

  I cringed. He’d felt some of what Aiden had put me through. I heard hushed voices and for a moment, I thought they came from the receiver before I realized the voices were coming from outside my bedroom door. Someone was here.

  The living quarters I’d been provided with housed a bedroom, bathroom, small living room, and a kitchenette. Whoever was outside my room sounded agitated. I stood from the bed and tiptoed closer, leaning my ear against the smooth wooden door.